Duchy of Jameleska

Historically a free territory within the isle of Jotun, the Duchy of Jameleska founded by the legendary Ice Elf heroes Jamel and Valeska.The modern duchy was founded in 747, 3e, with the signing of the Treaty of Lastlight between the Kingdom of Jotun and the then free duchy of Jameleska. The Duchy is a largely autonumous feudal region encompassing some of the most fertile and wealthy lands of the Island of Jotun and is the only human majority region within the wider Kingdom of Jotun.
Despite three centuries of peace, the Duchy was forced into a brutal four week war with The Snow Lord in 1052, 3e, and was only saved thanks to the timely intervention of Doomed 2 Die.

Demography and Population

The Duchy is the only majority human population within Jotun, comprising of around two thirds of the total population. Designated as a 'free port', this has attracted numerous human cultures from around Prima Terra seeking to hide away in the extremes of Priman Terran civilization or to try and make their wealth in the city. Elves, halflings, and gnomes are also found in frequency within the duchy.
This region does house indiginous goblinoid free tribes descended from the ancient kingdom of Svartvelheim. Since this was historically the heartlands of the fallen kingdom, many nomadic groups frequently come here to pay homage to the ruins of their civilzation. The tribes are met with suspicion and prejudice from the settled frost giants and Jameleskans, with free tribes never allowed within settlement boundries. The tribes are most concentrated within the Astergorian hills and Vodengold Glen.
Frost giants are the second key demographic, with major population centres in Jastingrag and Astergor. Unlike other frost giants throughout the kingdom, those within the duchy deal with humanoids regularly and house less suspision and hatred for them. Wealth is poorly distributed, with ancestral lords and nobles holding the majority wealth alongside powerful merchant guilds. Common people often find themselves at an economic disadvantage with massive and noticeable disparity between the wealthiest and poorest that is unusual for the Aedrinarian islands.

Territories

The Duchy of Jameleska is to the southern half of the Isle of Jotun, encompassing a geographic area known as the Arthos and Fathos valley, a fertile tundra land with two major rivers. The prevelance of underground steam vents keeps permafrost away, although snowfall is still common. This has given the region plenty of fertile farm and grazing lands, and the prevelance of the two evergreen forests of Titansgrove  and Vodengold Glen provide plenty of game. This has earned the duchy the reputation of being the breadbasket of the entire Aedrinarian archipelago.
Outside of Jameleska, the largest city in the duchy and indeed the entirity of the Aedrinarian islands, the duchy also holds soverignty over Theygor, Jastingrag, Storonthorpe, and Astergor.
They additional settlements are given great deals of autonomy, but their economies are entirely dependent on the city of Jameleska itself, with much of their wealth being sucked into the noblility and wealthy guilds of the free city.

Military

(See also, Jameleskan Military)
The duchy is protected by the esteemed Jameleskan Military, a professional standing army founded in the second age to help protect the city from the Jotun warlords. Ths military is a powerful guild, although its skill and reputation has long since faded since its glory days in the early third age. The Treaty of Lastlight has seen the army's active deployment significantly fall and the officer class become full of minor aristocrats looking to earn wealth and titles outside of their family. The Military suffered major losses in the 4 week war with The Snow Lord and is currently being reorganized and retrained by Horsha Lenn.
Other than the military, there are numerous small aristocratic militias. Within the Frost Giant vassals, drottin (similar to knights) are common. The noble families of Jameleska also employ their own militais and knights to protect their personal holdings, although these groups do not compare to the resources and numbers of the main military. Storonthorpe has its own group of deputies led by Reeve Mester  and Deputy Cass. This acts more like a police force than an army and deals with crimes and protection from bandit raids outside of military action, with the notable exception being the Reeve's involvement in the war with the Snow Lord.

Religion

Religion within the duchy is diverse and no mandated worship is declared. Within Jameleska, all faiths can be found from the Honoured Gods to the Seldarine. Divinitism has a majority over most of the human population, whilst the giants are dedicated to the Jotun pantheon. In Astergor, a temple of Surtur can be found amongst the fire giants of the Eldur district.
Historically, the troll god Varpak held a lot of control over the region, but had most of their power destroyed by Jamel and Valeska. Worship of Varpak has since been limited to small cults who do not involve themselves with the outside world, with the one exception of the Eyes of Varpak.
A Temple of Loki is known to exist within the Vodengold Glen.

Agriculture & Industry

The duchy is the most fertile region in the islands, with grain and animal products sent to the Jameleskan ports for export. Storonthorpe is the centre of this agricultural trade, acting as a trade point between the surrounding hamlets and farmsteads and the main trade centre in Jameleska itself. This agriculture covers multiple cattle, sheep, and big herds alongside wheat, barely, and oat grains. Vegetables are common in the colder mountain and hill footlands, with smaller hunting bands going for wild elk, geese, and boars also providing a respectable portion of the agricultural output. Fish provides a smaller portion, with riverside communities and Theygor being the only notable contributors.
Second to agriculture, manufacturing of consumer goods, weaponry, and tools can be found within the industrial quarters of Jameleska. The raw resources are largely shipped from Jastingrag and Astergors mining and smithing sectors. These goods are traded internally but also exported into Aedrinar, then Lastlight, and then into the Prima Terran mainland.

Trade & Transport

Jameleska has the most developed road network within the Kingdom of Jotun, with multiple key highways traversing the flatlands before joining the older and less developed main roads between New Ammanor and Nordenstor. For sea connections, Jameleska serves as its main port, shipping largely into Winterharbour and Lastlight, north through the sea of storms.

"Forged in Steel"

Founding Date

747, 3e

Type

Geopolitical, Duchy

Capital

Jameleska

Demonym

Jameleskan

Head of State

Duke Karl VI

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Controlled Territories

• Astergor
• Jameleska
• Jastingrag
• Storonthorpe
• Theygor

Related Species

• Frost Giant
• Hobgoblin
• Human